Re: fragmentation

ghrt wrote:
> i have noticed that valknut (and earlier versions, too) seems to 
> unnecessary fragmentate a file which is downloading.
> for example, in a file there are 3 blocks and 2 running downloads.
> when the 3rd download is started, it doesn't begin with the third 
> block, but at a new location in a middle of the others too.
> 
> this makes the downloading lasts longer, because at the end of a small 
> block is stops and tries to connect again, and the others may be busy 
> as well.
> 
> why can't begin at an "unused" start of an existing block? (those 
> three blocks were quite large, each aprox.  200megs)
> 
> thanks
> ghrt

My observation is that when starting additional downloads, Valknut finds the biggest incomplete 
block and starts in the middle of it.  This gives the download as large chunk to get before it needs 
to reconnect for another block.  However its probably not optimal when there is another download 
working on that block, as it 'cuts in front' of the existing download and fragments what was a 
contiguous piece.

Beginning a new download at the start of an existing fragment is probably a good idea, as this would 
tend to 'clean up' smaller fragments first and tackle big chunks later.  This would be the opposite 
of the current method, where the big chunks get started first, leaving many small fragments for the 
'end game' which is the problematic last few percent of the file.  How this would actually effect 
overall download efficiency is hard to judge.

Regards,
Andrew Greig
aka Mayhem